Yoga Anatomy

Notes

When the leg is lifted, the pelvis and lower body often roll backward. The challenge is to
find the balancing movement through the abductors and external rotators of the hip joint
rather than through rotating the spine.

Breathing

Anantasana is one of the few true side-lying poses. In the side-lying position, the dome
of the diaphragm closest to the floor moves cranially (toward the head), while the other
dome moves caudally (toward the tail). This is due mainly to the effect of gravity on the
abdominal organs, which are pulled toward the floor, taking the diaphragm with them. In
addition, the lung closest to the floor (the dependent lung) becomes more supported and
its tissue becomes more compliant, meaning that it’s under less mechanical tension and
responds more easily to the action of the diaphragm.
Consciously creating this asymmetry in the respiratory mechanism can be useful in
breaking up deeply ingrained breathing habits. For example, this pose can be beneficial to
people trying to change the habit of sleeping on only one side of the body.

Muscular joint actions

Spine

Concentric contraction Eccentric contraction Passively lengthening

To create side bend:

Spinal extensors, internal and

external oblique, quadratus

lumborum (top side)

To stabilize curves of spine:

Spinal extensors, internal and

external oblique (bottom

side)

Quadratus lumborum

(bottom side)

Lower limbs

Top leg Bottom leg

Concentric contraction Passively lengthening Concentric contraction

To externally rotate and

abduct:

Gluteus medius and minimus

(posterior fibers), pirifor-

mis, obturator internus,

superior and inferior

gemellus

To flex hip:

Psoas major, iliacus

To flex hip and extend knee:

Quadriceps

Hamstrings, adductor

magnus, gastrocnemius,

soleus

To resist hip flexion:

Hamstrings

To press lower leg into floor

for stability:

Gluteus medius and minimus

Anantasana (continued)